The UK technology landscape is evolving rapidly.
Organisations are dealing with increasingly complex digital transformation challenges while facing growing pressure to improve resilience, strengthen cyber security, modernise infrastructure and manage costs. At the same time, many are looking to reduce supplier complexity by working with trusted partners that can provide broader expertise and end-to-end support.
Against this backdrop, ARO and TalkTalk Business have announced a landmark merger that will create one of the UK’s largest independent providers of connectivity and managed technology services. The combined organisation will bring together approximately 650 employees, annual revenues of around £180 million and a customer base of more than 70,000 organisations across the UK.
Bringing together complementary strengths
The merger combines ARO’s established expertise in cloud, cyber security and managed IT services with TalkTalk Business’s strengths in connectivity, networking and communications. Together, the businesses will create a broader technology proposition designed to help organisations accelerate their digital ambitions through a single strategic partner.
For customers, this means access to a more comprehensive portfolio of services spanning:
- Connectivity and networking
- Cloud solutions
- Cyber security
- Unified communications
- Managed IT services
- Technology consultancy and transformation support
As organisations increasingly seek partners capable of supporting every stage of the technology lifecycle, the combined business is uniquely positioned to deliver integrated solutions at greater scale.
A defining moment for ARO
For ARO, the merger represents an exciting opportunity to build on more than two decades of helping organisations improve performance, resilience and growth through technology. By becoming part of a larger organisation with expanded capabilities and increased capacity for investment, ARO will be able to offer customers an even broader range of services while maintaining the expertise, relationships and customer focus that have defined the business to date.
Ciaran Rafferty, CEO, ARO comments, “This is a defining moment for both ARO and TalkTalk Business. Together, we are creating a business with the scale, expertise and ambition to become a leading independent provider of connectivity and managed technology services in the UK. By bringing together our complementary strengths, we are creating a stronger partner with broader capabilities, deeper expertise and greater capacity to invest in innovation, service delivery and long-term customer success.”
What this means for customers
Technology decisions are becoming more interconnected. Network performance impacts cloud adoption. Cyber security influences digital transformation strategies. End-user experience depends on seamless integration across multiple technologies.
Many organisations are looking for strategic partners that can simplify this complexity while delivering the specialist expertise needed to drive business outcomes.
The new combined group is being created to meet these evolving customer requirements. Through greater scale and broader capabilities, it will be able to accelerate investment in technology, innovation and service delivery, helping customers access the expertise they need through a single trusted partner.
Benefits for customers include:
- Access to broader end-to-end technology expertise
- Enhanced service capabilities across connectivity, cloud and cyber security
- Increased investment in innovation and customer services
- Greater scale and resilience
- Simplified technology procurement and management
- Continued focus on customer success and long-term partnerships
Building a stronger future together
For TalkTalk Business, the merger represents another important milestone in its transformation into a managed technology services provider, following its separation from TalkTalk Group and the recent acquisition of Planet IT. The addition of ARO’s expertise further strengthens its ability to deliver integrated technology solutions that address the needs of modern organisations.
Ruth Kennedy, CEO, TalkTalk Business: “This merger represents another important step in our transformation into a leading managed services provider and brings together two highly complementary businesses to create a leading independent technology partner for UK organisations.
"The market is evolving rapidly, with organisations increasingly seeking technology partners that can combine strategic expertise, operational excellence and broad service capabilities at scale. This combination creates a business that is uniquely positioned to meet those expectations and support customers across every stage of their technology journey.
"We are creating a platform with the scale to invest, innovate and grow. Together, we have an exciting opportunity to play a leading role in the future of the UK technology services market.”
Business as usual, with an exciting future ahead
While integration plans progress, both organisations will continue to operate under their existing brands and from their current locations, ensuring continuity for customers, employees and partners.
The merger reflects a shared ambition to help organisations navigate increasingly complex technology challenges while creating a stronger, more capable partner for the future.
As businesses continue to invest in digital transformation, cyber resilience, cloud adoption and next-generation connectivity, the combination of ARO and TalkTalk Business creates an organisation with the scale, expertise and vision to support them every step of the way.